Many packaging applications, especially food packaging, require or benefit from the use of bags made from various thermoplastic materials and structures.
These bags are commonly used in large scale meat processing and/or packaging systems where production speed and efficiency are important. Bags to be used in these systems are often themselves packed in boxes, the individual bags taped together so that they will feed in a predictable and efficient manner to an article loading station. Typical of such technology is U.S. Pat. No. 3,161,347 (Hannon), disclosing a tape to which bags are attached, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,587,843 (Wing), disclosing two tapes to which are attached imbricated (i.e. shingled) bags.
At the loading station of a conventional system, each bag is opened and then loaded with an article such as a fresh red meat subprimal or smoked and processed meat, poultry, cheese, or other perishable food product, or other product.
Alternatively, bags can be provided in a roll, with adjoining bags connected by a transverse line of serrations.
In some packaging environments, such as the packaging of various cuts of fresh red meat, individual meat cuts can vary significantly in size. If pre-made bags are used to package these individual cuts, it may be necessary to have on hand bags of different dimensions, e.g. width and/or length, to accommodate the variability in product size.
Copending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/333,569 filed on 17 Jan., 2006, entitled “Web Dispenser”, this application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. discloses an apparatus for selectively dispensing a web from a plurality of rolls of serrated bags or layflat tubing including a web selector for selecting and advancing a web from the plurality of rolls; a bag driver for advancing the selected web and separating a bag from the web; and a bag handling mechanism for transporting the separated bag from the bag driver to a location for processing. A sealer/cutter is used to produce a bag from the layflat tubing. A method of selectively dispensing a web from a plurality of rolls of serrated bags or layflat tubing includes selecting and advancing a web from the plurality of rolls of serrated bags; advancing the selected web and separating a bag from the web; and transporting the separated bag to a location for further processing. In the case of layflat tubing, the selected web is sealed and cut to make a bag.
It is desirable to provide an apparatus and method for selectively dispensing and printing a web from a plurality of rolls of serrated bags or lay-flat tubing.